1. Write three paragraphs on how Annie Leonard defines the system of the 'materials economy' and describes its interactions. Annie Leonard defines the system of “material economy” in which this main system try to understand the way the world is processed in order to make the economy run. The system contains the process of extraction, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal. Annie keeps referring to the way we as individuals engage with the society as a system.
By extracting resources from the earth and as we use these resources, we produce materials and equipments that can be sold in stores for people, and this is the most important part in which the consumer market is the base in the economy’s market system.
Later after the selling the products, some of these products end in garbage after 6 months. Only 1% of these products end in houses and the rest is thrown in garbage. And this happened as Annie explained after world war two so that there will be a boom in the market, and also after what happened in 11th of September, the president in the US George Bush did not ask the people to calm down, but instead he asked the people in the society to shop and to buy more, in order to keep the economy market going up. And this is evidence on how much the government cares about their people, but they care about their own money and about the government’s money in general.
In conclusion this system must be changed from linear system into a finite system. In which changes must be made in order to have a cleaner healthier environment, a finite planet can be only achieved if everything on this planet is biodegradable, and recyclable. 2. Define extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. (One paragraph for each term) Extraction:
Extraction is the first step in the system of “materials economy”. Extraction includes cutting, mining, hauling, and trashing a specific area in order to get the necessary resources to make a product. This means that the important natural resources on the earth are pulled out through mining and cutting down trees. Also Annie includes the process of “trashing the Earth” and “Exploitation of earth natural resources”. As we extract materials from the earth to produce products, this causes the planet to fall apart, and causes a loss of natural resources in our planet. Production: Production is the process in which the materials that have been extracted from the earth are being produced into goods that can be sold to people in stores. The materials that are extracted are used to make toxic impure products. A lot of fake chemicals are used in the production now days and are not good for the human health. Since a lot of these chemicals haven’t been tested so we don’t really know the long term impact of these chemicals on human’s health. These toxics are becoming more saturated in food chains and they are becoming highly concentrated in our bodies “food chain”. Distribution:
distribution is when the produced materials need to be moved to stores, in order to be sold to consumers in the market economy. The goal of this part of the process is to sell as much as they can for low prices in order to maximize the market profit. It is worth mentioning that in the video, the distribution process that takes place in wall-mart, Annie states that these stores don’t take care of the safety and the health benefits of the workers as the way it should be, in order for the prices to be low. Consumption: Consumption is the most important part of the whole system, and this part of the system compels, and drives the market economy. The main goal of the government’s society is to keep the consumption high in societies in order to keep the flow of money in a society. For example, after producing a specific product, within 6 months the leftover of this specific product is thrown out, and new products are designed for individuals to be able to keep purchasing new products and to stay updated, and this keeps the market economy going up. Disposal:
Disposal is the final step in the “materials economy”, and this is the part of the system in which all the products that have been consumed or have gone through the above steps end up. It is when the products end up in garbage or when the products get burned with harmful toxics chemicals which are both harmful to the earth and to human health. Recycling is the best solution for this. 3. How does her Flash presentation effectively organize the categories comprising 'the materials economy' in its interface design? (2 paragraphs)
Annie Leonard’s used her flash video in a very professional effective way, as it is done in an interactive way; it entertains the audience and keeps them engaged with the video. In the video real examples are given in order to keep the audience alarmed and to let the audience relate to what they are seeing in the video to real life.
In the video Annie Leonard states the five stages of the “material economy”. She also used cartoons in order to keep it simple, and helps the audience to understand the complex idea easily Also the main ideas, and shown in black and white colors in order to serve emphasis on the important ideas.
Annie Leonard defines the system of “material economy” in which this main system try to understand the way the world is processed in order to make the economy run. The system contains the process of extraction, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal. Annie keeps referring to the way we as individuals engage with the society as a system.
By extracting resources from the earth and as we use these resources, we produce materials and equipments that can be sold in stores for people, and this is the most important part in which the consumer market is the base in the economy’s market system.
Later after the selling the products, some of these products end in garbage after 6 months. Only 1% of these products end in houses and the rest is thrown in garbage. And this happened as Annie explained after world war two so that there will be a boom in the market, and also after what happened in 11th of September, the president in the US George Bush did not ask the people to calm down, but instead he asked the people in the society to shop and to buy more, in order to keep the economy market going up. And this is evidence on how much the government cares about their people, but they care about their own money and about the government’s money in general.
In conclusion this system must be changed from linear system into a finite system. In which changes must be made in order to have a cleaner healthier environment, a finite planet can be only achieved if everything on this planet is biodegradable, and recyclable.
2. Define extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. (One paragraph for each term)
Extraction:
Extraction is the first step in the system of “materials economy”. Extraction includes cutting, mining, hauling, and trashing a specific area in order to get the necessary resources to make a product. This means that the important natural resources on the earth are pulled out through mining and cutting down trees. Also Annie includes the process of “trashing the Earth” and “Exploitation of earth natural resources”. As we extract materials from the earth to produce products, this causes the planet to fall apart, and causes a loss of natural resources in our planet.
Production:
Production is the process in which the materials that have been extracted from the earth are being produced into goods that can be sold to people in stores. The materials that are extracted are used to make toxic impure products. A lot of fake chemicals are used in the production now days and are not good for the human health. Since a lot of these chemicals haven’t been tested so we don’t really know the long term impact of these chemicals on human’s health. These toxics are becoming more saturated in food chains and they are becoming highly concentrated in our bodies “food chain”.
Distribution:
distribution is when the produced materials need to be moved to stores, in order to be sold to consumers in the market economy. The goal of this part of the process is to sell as much as they can for low prices in order to maximize the market profit. It is worth mentioning that in the video, the distribution process that takes place in wall-mart, Annie states that these stores don’t take care of the safety and the health benefits of the workers as the way it should be, in order for the prices to be low.
Consumption:
Consumption is the most important part of the whole system, and this part of the system compels, and drives the market economy. The main goal of the government’s society is to keep the consumption high in societies in order to keep the flow of money in a society. For example, after producing a specific product, within 6 months the leftover of this specific product is thrown out, and new products are designed for individuals to be able to keep purchasing new products and to stay updated, and this keeps the market economy going up.
Disposal:
Disposal is the final step in the “materials economy”, and this is the part of the system in which all the products that have been consumed or have gone through the above steps end up. It is when the products end up in garbage or when the products get burned with harmful toxics chemicals which are both harmful to the earth and to human health. Recycling is the best solution for this.
3. How does her Flash presentation effectively organize the categories comprising 'the materials economy' in its interface design? (2 paragraphs)
Annie Leonard’s used her flash video in a very professional effective way, as it is done in an interactive way; it entertains the audience and keeps them engaged with the video. In the video real examples are given in order to keep the audience alarmed and to let the audience relate to what they are seeing in the video to real life.
In the video Annie Leonard states the five stages of the “material economy”. She also used cartoons in order to keep it simple, and helps the audience to understand the complex idea easily Also the main ideas, and shown in black and white colors in order to serve emphasis on the important ideas.